


Feelings Other Than Prefectly

by unoriginal_liz



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-12-31
Updated: 2005-12-31
Packaged: 2017-12-13 18:13:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/827307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unoriginal_liz/pseuds/unoriginal_liz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>From where Sirius was sitting, Moony didn't seem to be doing too badly - sucking on his fingers and driving filthy-minded Ravenclaws mad with lust.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for someone called Yi Fei, who I met on a Remus/Sirius list...I think as a thank you because she translated something of mine?

As Prefect, Remus frequently had to do unpleasant things, such as attend meetings with other Prefects, where every minute had to be usefully spent and accounted for – or wipe first years’ runny noses (Sirius had seen him once, and Remus was always suspiciously short of handkerchiefs), not to mention speak politely to Snivellus, who managed at least one veiled reference to lunar conditions per conversation. Still, Sirius thought that even that last couldn’t have prepared Remus for this particular unpleasant task.

“Godfrey Gower,” James said slowly. Remus nodded.

James made a face. “The Ravenclaw Prefect?” Remus nodded again. 

“You’re howling up the wrong tree, Moony,” James said, folding his arms and scowling.

“Possibly,” Remus said tactfully. “But well – it’s just…after the meeting, they were talking, and I was behind them, and they seemed…um…friendly.”

Sirius and Peter sucked in identical pained breaths. Linking the words ‘Evans’ with ‘friendly’ was akin to using the words ‘stark naked’ and ‘gagging for it’ in conjunction with any other student. Sirius glanced over. Peter looked like he had taken a Bludger to an unfortunate area.

“You’re wrong,” James said, adamant. His fingers were digging into his upper arms.

“Maybe,” Remus conceded. “But, well, I just thought I’d warn you. In case.”

It was acts of near-suicidal thoughtfulness like that that had got Remus selected as a Prefect in the first place, Sirius thought.

“Warn me? Like I’d care – even if it were true?” James stood up. “Nothing to me who Evans is friendly with. Wouldn’t even bother me if it were true.”

*****

“ _Gower_.” James glowered over at the offending owner of that name, who was standing rather close to Lily Evans – who in turn, was not stepping back. Their hands met on the handle of their cage, and Evans (who had once threatened to remove vital parts of James’ anatomy) actually blushed. “What does she see in him?”

“He’s very well-read,” Remus said. He squinted into the cage in front of them.

“Piss off, nosey!” the Jarvey inside said, baring its teeth.

“Well-read? _I’m_ well-read!”

“Bugger off, big ears! What’re you looking at, fatso?”

“I hate to tell you this, mate, but _Quidditch Monthly_ doesn’t count.”

“Bugger bugger bugger, bast” – Sirius irritably waved his wand and the Harvey found itself deprived of speech. It hopped up and down with rage.

“She’s doing it to make me jealous, you know.”

“Of course she is, Prongs,” Peter said, reaching out to pat his arm, but quickly withdrawing at the look on his face.

“Yeah, she probably got tired of your agonizing indifference to her.”

“And it’s not as if she knows how you feel. Discretion – it’s always been your biggest problem,” Remus added.

Sirius cautiously poked his finger into the cage. The Jarvey gestured furiously and bared its teeth. Remus yanked at his elbow, a timely gesture that ensured Sirius still had the use of all five fingers.

“Careful,” he said.

“It’s not even as if he’s that good-l” –

“Kettleburn,” Peter warned. Sirius quickly lifted the silencing charm. 

“Show us your knickers!” the Jarvey screamed.

*****

It was worse than anyone could have anticipated. It didn’t matter that Evans and Gower, being mature, responsible Prefects, were never tempted to break the bounds of propriety and ravish each other in Care of Magical Creatures or History of Magic, the two classes they shared with Ravenclaws. James was cursed with an active imagination, Evans was unnaturally happy…obviously the universe needed righting.

Unfortunately, James’ ideas for righting the universe were all deeply ineffectual, consisting as they did of: 1) ordering Peter to skulk around after Evans in Hogsmeade, where she expressed nothing more interesting that a preference for peacock quills, 2) asking Remus to sabotage their time together in Prefects’ meetings, which Remus had objected to on the grounds that all they did in Prefects’ meetings was talk, and 3) sticking his tongue down Mabel Crumbley’s throat whenever Evans hove in view.

(They blocked up the entrance to Gryffindor Tower for a full five minutes pretending not to see her. It was only after prolonged throat clearing and foot tapping that they pulled apart.

“Ah, Evans, didn’t see you there,” James had said carelessly.

She had sighed. “Don’t you think this is beneath even you? Lemon lollies,” she said, turning to the fat lady. 

“Nothing,” James retorted with dignity, “is beneath me.”)

Remus, because he was Prefect and so, used to dealing with unpleasant things, was the one who said, kindly, “I don’t think it’s working, Prongs.”

James appeared to consider his words deeply and nodded. The next week he broke it off with Mabel Crumbley and took up with Dulcie Demestra.

*****

It was almost the worst month Sirius could remember (the worst having been tucked safely behind him, forgiven, he hoped, even if Snivellus’ jibes made forgetting impossible). James threw tantrums about other people using his quills and a horrible taste that only he could detect in the chocolate frogs.

Peter branched out and bought new sweets, which James devoured with a sour expression on his face, while Sirius tried to distract him with Quidditch strategies (James had become unhealthily fixated with beating Ravenclaw).

Remus probably had the worst of it. Peter asked Fanshawe to tutor him in Muggle Studies, which was really just an excuse for long chats in the common room, and Sirius was never short of something – or some _one_ – to occupy his time. He had to feel a bit smug when he compared his own love-life to James’. While James was tearing his hair out (figuratively speaking. He was really very vain about his hair and wouldn’t lay a finger on it in anger) over Evans, Sirius was assured of a warm welcome from nearly any girl he set his sights on. Of course, on one hand, he knew not the rapturous heights James ascended to on the basis of a smile (or, to be more accurate, a grimace) from Evans – but on the other hand, he didn’t particularly _want_ to know about the rapturous heights. 

At the present, he was very much occupied with Lucy Tiller, who was in Hufflepuff. He couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry for Remus, who trudged up from the library nightly with a thick book and a look of determination on his face. This particular night it was _Silence is Golden: Charms to Deal with Noisy Neighbours, Embarrassing Relatives, and Loud Louts_. His face fell as the smell of aftershave hit.

“Lucy?” he sighed, sitting on the bed, looking very tired.

“Yeah.”

“Lucky you.”

“She’s nice,” Sirius allowed, running his fingers through his hair. Remus watched him in silence, until Sirius felt uncomfortable, and said, “What? Is there something on my face?”

Remus blinked. “No,” he said.

“Then what?”

“Oh,” Remus said, flopping back against the pillow. “It’s not fair, you know,” he said. “ _You’re_ supposed to be his best friend, but I’m the one stuck listening to ‘Ten Reasons Godfrey Gower is an Absolute Prat,’ and bearing the brunt of his rage when he can only come up with eight.”

“You’re the Prefect, aren’t you?” Sirius pointed out. He softened though, looking at Remus, who had flung an arm over his face.

“We’ll sort something out soon,” he said. “And I’ll tell you all about my conquest tomorrow.” 

“Lucky me,” Remus murmured.

Leaving the room, with its heavy atmosphere of mingled dread and aftershave, Sirius considered getting Remus a girlfriend. Such a thing would normally be more trouble than it was worth, but the aftermath of the-thing-he-wasn’t-exactly-proud-of had had the lingering effect of making him a bit aware of the feelings of others, in particular Remus, whose generosity in forgiving something so serious made Sirius want to do something kind and selfless in return. This, he decided jubilantly, was IT. He made a note to ask Lucy if any of her friends would be interested.

*****

The shimmering outline of a bird hovered over the girls for a few moments before exploding in a shower of silver glitter. A note fluttered down into Evans’ outstretched palm.

He can’t just walk over to the Gryffindor table and talk to her?” James demanded, scowling at the delighted girls. “Show off.”

Remus choked on his porridge.

“Have you ever heard of the saying – the pot calling the cauldron black?” Sirius inquired.

*****

Three girls-who-were-not-Evans-later, it was becoming increasingly clear that something had to be done. James, obstinacy personified when it came to perfecting something like the Animagus transformation, had sunk into despair. Of course, to the teachers, despair looked an awful lot like buckling down and beginning to take work seriously. McGonagall frowned (but then she’d always had a soft spot for James), while Sprout praised his attentiveness to the Lacy Stinkhorns, and Flitwick, beaming at James’ knees, gave Gryffindor ten points for James’ exemplary mastering of the Transparency Charm.

“Maybe there’s a bright side to all this,” Peter whispered to Sirius and Remus.

However all the good work was undone on the way out of Potions, when Snivellus slithered up behind James and whispered something poisonous and greasy in his ear. Minus twenty points later, Peter had to admit there was no bright side to it.

It was up to them to talk some sense into James. Unfortunately, as Sirius knew, sense was not James’ language of choice when it came to Evans.

Remus began, by making the brave and foolhardy statement, “Gower’s all right, you know.”

If looks could disembowel, Remus would have been a bloodied mess on the pillow. He pressed on regardless. “He is, you know. I’ve talked to him a few times.”

“How nice for you,” James said bitterly.

“Prongs, I know you don’t want to hear this, but he _is_. He’s mad about her. He’s planning all sorts of surprises for her birthday and everything. And she – she obviously likes him too, so maybe you should just” –

“What? I should just _what_?” James asked, eyes narrowing.

“Accept it.” Remus made a vague gesture with his hands.

James snorted and turned the page of _Quidditch Monthly_ so hard it tore.

Sirius took him for a rambling walk over the grounds, ending up at Hagrid’s hut before he decided on what to say.

He eventually began with, “Moony’s right, you know.” That sort of statement was generally a fairly safe one.

“About what?”

Sirius rolled his eyes. “About selling salamander skins for profit – what d’you mean, about _what_?”

James hunched his shoulders and gazed resolutely at Hagrid’s hut. Sirius became aware of a low thumping coming from inside the cottage. He pressed on regardless.

“She’s just a girl, Prongs.” Without meaning for it to happen (because James was being an annoying bollocks, and it wasn’t as if Evans had ever given him the time of day), sympathy slipped into his voice.

“I know,” James said, and kicked at the grass. The thumping grew louder, and Sirius squinted at the cottage.

“Seriously, mate, you’ve got to cop yourself on. It’s been two months and if you don’t get a grip, I’ll kill you myself.”

“Like you could.”

“Not like it’d take much. You’ve been so distracted Wormtail could probably beat you.”

James shoved him. “That’s a bit much, don’t you think? Even as a joke.”

“Leave it another week,” Sirius began, only to be interrupted by loud snarling and a familiar voice bellowing, “Whoa girl, easy, easy!”

“What do you think he’s got in there?” he asked. “D’you remember that transparency charm?”

“No,” James said.

“Typical. You’re mooning about over Evans and teachers are falling over themselves to give you points you don’t even deser” –

“All right,” James interrupted. He was staring fixedly ahead, hands in his pockets.

“What?” Sirius had lost track of the conversation.

“All right. About Evans.”

“Oh,” Sirius said.

“I mean, maybe I was a bit” –

“Just a bit.” Sirius rolled his eyes.

“But if he’s mad about her…” James looked at him for confirmation.

“Moony says,” he answered, holding both his hands up in front of him.

“All right then.”

“Good.”

“It’s a far better thing I do now, than I have ever done before,” James muttered.

Sirius squinted at him. “That’s not saying much, though, is it?”

*****

James began his far better thing on the way back to the castle. They passed Evans, who was walking along without her usual purpose and energy…wandering aimlessly, really. Sirius supposed loved had a more changing effect that he had previously thought.

James straightened and said, so politely that even Evans couldn’t fault it, “Ev – er…Lily, how are you?”

She stared at him. “Oh – buzz off and leave me alone, Potter!” she said, and stormed off. Looking at her angry back, Sirius revised his recently revised opinion of love’s changing effects.

“What’s her problem?” James stared after her, with a frown on his face.

“It doesn’t matter,” Sirius said quickly, emphatically. “It’s not _your_ problem anymore.”

“Yeah,” James said, watching Evans recede into the distance.

*****


	2. Chapter 2

Despite frequent fears of a relapse, things _did_ get better after that. 

“How did you manage it?” Remus murmured, as James poured milk into his porridge like his life depended on it, while overhead, another silver bird burst into glitter. James didn’t even say anything when flecks of glitter floated into his bowl, though he did push it away and reach for a slice of toast instead.

“Just a knack I have,” Sirius said airily, though he winced as James loaded sausages onto the marmalade-laden toast.

*****

It was around that time that Lucy told him that Ellen Abbott thought Remus was all right – which stirring endorsement he repeated to Remus…who smiled blankly until Sirius thumped him and told him to talk to Ellen, or ask her to Hogsmeade, or something.

Sirius helped, by telling Lucy to tell Ellen that Remus wanted to meet up. After that, he saw them once or twice, talking in the corridors, and Remus begged off going to Zonko’s when they were in Hogsmeade, saying he had to meet someone. Sirius congratulated himself on a job well done.

Remus didn’t say much about Ellen, exasperatingly chivalrous, so Sirius casually asked Licy how Ellen was getting on with Remus. Lucy bit her lip for a moment before exploding. Through giggles, Sirius managed to make out the words, “…trout…plaice…whiting…”

“What?” he asked in confusion.

A few minutes later, when she was calmer, Sirius asked again. She hesitated a little, then smiled. “It’s…Ellen says he’s nice, but…well, a bit of a cold fish, you know?”

Sirius did not know, and what was more, he did not _want_ to know.

“Oh come on, don’t be like that about it,” Lucy said, when he told her the he had homework he should finish. “You said you were free. It was only a joke…Sirius?”

But he suddenly had no desire to be around Lucy Tiller, and he made his way back to Gryffindor Tower, unsure who he was angrier with – Lucy, with her knowledge of all things aquatic, Ellen Abbot, with her nice smile and her big mouth…or Remus, who probably went on about the Troll Wars of the 1200’s and most likely hadn’t even tried to hold Abbott’s hand.

He glowered at the fat lady when she asked for the password. “Thrum-eyed primrose,” he said tightly.

“Temper, temper,” she said, as she swung inwards.

He stomped up to the dormitory and flung himself down on the bed, drawing the curtains to ward off conversation. He took a few deep breaths, soothed by the dimness, only to find, when he next opened his eyes, the curtains seemed to have disappeared. He reached out, but his hand encountered soft material – still there, but no longer performing its function.

“It works,” Remus said complacently, and lowered his wand. “I thought you were with Lucy.”

“I was. Got bored,” Sirius said. He felt his face arrange itself into a frown again, and shook his head. He studied Remus, who was sitting cross-legged on the bed opposite him. Remus raised his eyebrows.

“What?” he said.

“Where’s Prongs?” Remus wasn’t bad-looking, Sirius decided. He tilted his head. Not bad-looking at all. Abbott should be more grateful, he thought, and not so quick to judge.

“Off with Wormtail, working on the Muggle Studies project. He asked Evans if she’d mind vetting his work for him.” Remus smiled, obviously expecting outrage, or at the very least, more questions.

“Yeah?” Sirius said.

Remus frowned. “Did you and Lucy have a fight?” he asked. “You look a bit” –

It wasn’t as if he could _say_ anything to Remus, he realised, imagining the potential embarrassment and hurt feelings. It wasn’t the sort of thing you could say to a friend.

He shook his head. “Just got bored, is all. What did Evans say when he asked her?”

“It was a bit funny – he asked her just like she was anyone else, Alice or anyone, and she went off the deep end at him,” Remus said. “Wormtail said _he’d_ help, and Alice or Seán wouldn’t mind looking over it after. They’ve been at it since.”

What did Ellen Abbott know anyway? Sirius thought, and shook his head to clear it.

*****

On Evans’ birthday, the glitter was rainbow-coloured, and messier than usual.

“Poor house-elves,” Peter said, looking down at the glitter-speckled tiles and the glinting table.

“Yeah, they’ll probably revolt,” Sirius said. “No – wait a minute, it’s _house-elves_ we’re talking about. They’ll probably make Gower some extra dessert, to thank him for the honour of giving them more work.”

James smiled. A bit. It faded however after breakfast, when girls crowded around Evans making admiring sounds.

“It’s beautiful,” Dulcie Demestra said.

“It’s just a bracelet,” Evans replied, looking uncomfortable.

“His grandmother’s charm bracelet,” Remus told James, who was squinting ferociously at the throng of girls.

“What, was he too skint to buy her a real present?” Sirius asked, knocing his elbow against James’. James stopped squinting so hard and poked Sirius back.

“He probably is, you know,” Peter said. “The Gowers aren’t exactly rolling in it – my dad said his parents made some bad investments a few years ago – he’s had the same set of robes for ages and they’re way too small for him…”

Sirius kicked him discreetly, while James turned around and glared. But Remus didn’t appear to notice, though he stared intently at the girls, as if he were the lovesick one.

“I’d be scared I’d lose it,” Alice said.

“No,” Mabel Crumbley disagreed. “There’s a protection spell on every charm, isn’t there? So it won’t get lost or anything. It must have taken him ages.”

“A protection spell on every charm?” It’s a wonder Evans can hold the thing up,” Sirius said.

*****

Later, in the common room, Evans came towards them with a look of determination on her face.

“What did you do to get her knickers in a knot?” Sirius hissed.

James frowned at him. “Nothing.”

Evans stopped at their table, and absently, James moved Sirius’ pawn, which protested quietly.

“Potter,” she said, and paused. “I just – I thought I should say thank you. For these.” She held up a box. One or two peacock quills poked over the top.

“What?” James said, gazing up at her.

Evans sighed and tried again. “Thank you,” she said. “They’re…really nice.”

“You are _pathetic_ ,” Sirius muttered.

James kicked him and turned back to Evans. “Nothing to do with me,” he denied, with an idiotic smile on his face. Sirius slumped down in his chair in disgust.

Evans rolled her eyes. “All right. Well then, would you tell Pettigrew thanks for me – though I wouldn’t have thought it his style.” 

“You think he has style? Whoever sent those to you?” James asked.

“Don’t push it, Potter,” Evans advised. She pushed her hair behind her ear with her free hand.

“Why aren’t you wearing your…?” James asked, gesturing to her wrist.

“Oh.” Evans looked at her wrist like she’d never seen it before. “I…don’t know, really. It was…it’s just a bit – heavy, you know.”

“Yeah.” James nodded quickly. “Yeah, I mean all those protection spells and charms must be a bit…heavy.”

“Yes,” Evans said, after a pause. “I’d – I have work to do.” She turned and marched off.

James obsessed about it for the rest of the night. “It’s like she was trying to tell me something…but _what_? I just can’t figure it out.”

“Yeah, because usually you real Evans so well. Psychic, the connection the two of you have.” Sirius thumped his head against the table.

“You don’t think he…hurts her, do you?” James asked anxiously.

Sirius almost choked. _Evans?_ “Well, he might kill her from glitter poisoning, but other than that…face it mate, the two of them…they’re in it for the long haul.”

*****

They broke up five days later. There was suddenly at least ten feet of space between them at all times, and Evans’ friends huddled around her in a protective circle whenever Gower passed them in the halls.

“Why?” Peter asked.

“I don’t know – maybe she got higher marks than him in Potions or something. He’s a Ravenclaw, after all. Anyway – who bloody cares?” James was jubilant.

Lily cared, as was evident from her lack of attention in History of Magic (excusable), and Care of Magical Creatures (potentially fatal).

Gower seemed to care too, according to Remus, who stopped to help him pick up some books, and was rewarded with an impassioned lecture on the modern witch’s ambivalence.

“He’s very upset about it,” Remus said later that night. James grunted.

“That’s a bit rich, considering he broke it off with her over his marks in Potions,” Peter observed.

Remus sighed. “That was Prongs’ poorly thought out explanation” –

“He’s a Ravenclaw, isn’t he?” James asked, reasonably.

“Actually, she broke it off with him. She thought things were getting too serious, she said it wasn’t as if they were engaged or anything.”

“It _was_ a bit full on,” Sirius said. “Oh well, all’s well that ends well, eh?”

Break-ups, like thrum-eyed primroses, seemed to be very much in season. Remus seemed to have forgotten Ellen Abbott entirely (spending an alarming amount of time in the library, even for Remus), and not long afterwards, Sirius finished with Lucy.

*****

James was once again full of schemes to win Evans. “She’s weakening, I tell you,” he proclaimed confidently. It was telling, Sirius thought, that they spoke of Evans as if she were bricks and mortar. James’ latest idea involved adapting a spell to improve radio transmission in areas with poor reception. (“She’s obviously not going to come out and declare to me just how fanciable she finds me,” James said. “So we spell her radio, link it to Wormtail’s, and bingo!”)

Remus said he’d look up linking spells in the library, and Sirius was in charge of getting Evans’ radio from the girls’ dorm to the common room. Peter offered to help Remus but was turned down, unusually for Remus, who appeared not to notice the slightly hurt look on his face.

Of course, as happened with most of James’ plans involving Evans, it did not turn out as expected. There was the faint sound of girls talking, behind the booming tones of Septimus Fawcett of The Witching Hour, but even with the radio volume turned as high as it would go, actual words were impossible to make out, and all they managed to accomplish was waking Frank Longbottom, who was not best pleased.

*****

In History of Magic, with Professor Binn’s voice detailing bloody Troll revolutions in such a way that only the most dedicated student could keep from yawning, James tried in vain to catch Evans’ eye. Evans stared straight ahead, oblivious to James’ efforts. On the sheet of parchment masquerading as his notes, Sirius scrawled a stick figure with glasses, and another with long hair. He muttered at the parchment and the stick figure James began to run around the stick figure Evans, who constantly revolved so that her back was to James.

Sirius grinned and turned to share the joke with Remus, who was staring vacantly at the Ravenclaw side of the room, quill held loosely in his hand. Professor Binn’s lectures could do that to the most eager student, Sirius knew. It seemed almost a shame to nudge him out of his daydream, but all the same…Sirius created a wordwind, and sent it whirling onto Remus’ parchment, where it quietly mixed up the two feet of notes he’d managed to take before succumbing to boredom. Remus didn’t even notice, chin proper in his hand, but that was alright. Sirius could wait.

*****

“The library – again?” Sirius asked incredulously. “Seriously, Moony – you need to get a life. This is a bit much – even for you.”

“Well, if someone hadn’t messed up all my notes on the Troll Wars, I wouldn’t need to go to the library, now would I?” Remus asked, rummaging in his bag.

“The exams are months away,” James said. “It doesn’t matter if you leave it a few days.”

“I’d prefer to get it done now. I’ll forget otherwise,” Remus said, pulling our a quill from his bag and brandishing it triumphantly.

“Pathetic.” Sirius shook his head and sighed loudly. “I’ll undo the bloody spell. Give me the parchment.”

“It’s all right,” Remus said quickly. “I wanted to do some more research anyway.”

“It’s a girl,” Peter said, jabbing a finger in Remus’ direction, making them all jump. “Bet you anything it’s a girl.”

“Moony, you animal,” James teased, a disbelieving smile on his face. 

“Who is it – Madam Pince?” Sirius continued. “Always thought she was a bit of a go-er myself.”

“Thank you for that lovely image,” Remus said, but he avoided their eyes. The others exchanged glances, Peter looking smug.

“You mean it’s true?” James asked.

“No need to sound so surprised,” Sirius said. “It’s always the quiet ones, right Moony?”

Cold fish – yeah right, he thought. Obviously, if Remus was romeo-ing someone in the library, the problem had been all Ellen Abbott’s fault. He wondered who it was. Probably a Ravenclaw – they practically lived in the place.

“So,” he urged, “Who’s the lucky girl?”

“Unlucky girl,” James corrected with a grin. “Just remember – if it’s Alice, Wormtail’ll be crushed.”

Peter made a face at James and then turned back to Remus, who was looking more uncomfortable by the second.

“Come on,” Sirius said impatiently. “Who is she?”

Remus opened and closed his mouth, then…”Godfrey Gower,” he said, turning his quill over in his hands.

Sirius had an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach, even though Remus was clearly taking the piss, or had misunderstood the question or something. James must have been feeling the same way, as he laughed, awkwardly, and said, “Gower’s not a girl, Moony.”

Remus looked back at him, and the uneasy feeling in Sirius’ stomach blossomed into outright dread as he said, calmly, “Thanks Prongs, but that’s not exactly news to me.” He smiled a bit, but no-one smiled back, and it faded.

“Oh. Good,” James said, and blinked in the suddenly silet room. Peter looked ridiculous, mouth hanging half-open, and Sirius quickly closed his own mouth, in case he looked even half as gormless. Remus seemed a bit pale, but composed – exactly as he had been fifteen minutes before.

“Well, if that’s all,” he said. As he slipped past them, the quill slid from his fingers and onto the floor. He didn’t stop for it.


	3. Chapter 3

Remus was late back from the library – Remus had been late back from the library quite often lately, and he’d never noticed. None of them had noticed, Sirius amended. As a Black, he was no stranger to the lion’s share of anything, but when it came to blame, he believed in sharing.

None of them dared say anything, not when they were waiting for Remus to deny it, to troop back into the room and announce that he had been taking the piss. It wasn’t really the sort of thing a boy was supposed to joke about, but then Remus was different, which was the problem, wasn’t it? When his thoughts began to loop in sensible, yet entirely wrong, circles, he gave up.

“Mistake,” James said confidently. “Bound to be.” He didn’t look up from his Transfigurations textbook.

“Yeah – I mean…Moony isn’t…” Peter trailed off, because the end of that sentence called for significant eye-contact and waggling of eyebrows, and at the moment, they were all avoiding each other’s gaze.

“Like I said – a mistake,” James repeated.

“Yeah,” Sirius said, attempting to ignore Lucy Tiller’s voice in his head, which kept whispering _coldfishcoldfishcoldfish_. It was not true.

When Remus _did_ turn up, they considerately stopped talking and waited politely for him to speak. However, he didn’t take advantage of this golden opportunity to set the record straight. Instead he dropped his book bag and asked, “What are we listening for?”

“Nothing,” James said.

“Enjoying the quiet,” said Peter.

Remus nodded. Sirius waited for the clamour of questions that should follow, to get to the bottom of this ridiculous situation, but James and Peter just looked slightly uncomfortable. He realized it was entirely up to him. 

“So,” he boldly began. Remus looked up attentively.

He opened his mouth, then shut it again. “Did you have a good time in the library?” he asked meekly. The words were as proper and innocuous as any their teachers had ever used, but he still felt his skin heat up, as though he had said something off-colour, even for him. _Plaice, whiting, salmon_ he recited to himself.

Remus nodded. “Yeah. It was interesting.”

“Find out much about those Troll Wars?” James asked politely.

“Hmm? Oh. No, we never got around to that,” Remus buried his face in his book bag, but when he emerged, moments later, his face was still red.

Sirius exchanged an appalled look with James. It was true.

*****

It was rather difficult to decide on a course of action. They all agreed that action should be _taken_ \- there was no doubt about that. They tended to end (and begin, and continue) conversations with the words, “Something should be done,” accompanied by vigorous nodding of heads and determined looks on faces.

Their problem lay in the execution. Remus seemed so calm, so _the same_ , and greeted any significant throat clearing with kind offers of mint humbugs, that actually _acting_ became impossible.

But still, it was clear. “Something must be done,” James said, striding into the dorm room on Saturday afternoon, cheeks flushed. Sirius and Peter flanked him. It had taken half an hour to properly work themselves up for this, and they were going to make sure righteous ire was not wasted.

Remus looked up from his book. “Why?” he asked.

James paused. “Because.”

Remus went back to his book. 

“Because,” Sirius said, in a raised voice, glaring at James, “It’s wrong, that’s why. It’s a mistake.”

“And you’re our friend. What kind of friends would we be, if we let you make this mistake?”

“I don’t think it’s a mistake,” Remus said eventually.

“Of course you don’t. No-one ever does when they’re making one,” Sirius said.

“It’s nothing to feel bad about,” Peter offered. “We’ve all made mistakes.”

“Yeah – remember? Prongs’ was Evans, Wormtail’s was that Hufflepuff chaser, mine…are too numerous to count, and yours,” he paused. “Well…you forgot to return that book to Madam Pince that one time.”

“Look, it’s just…Gower’s a bloke, Moony,” James said earnestly.

“I know.” Remus began to dart wistful glances at his book, abandoned face down on the bed. Sirius considered snapping his fingers, or brandishing his wand to hold Remus’ attention.

“I mean – there’s got to be some nice girl who’ll go out with you,” James said. “What about that Abbott girl – Ellen, isn’t it?”

“We didn’t have much in common,” Remus said.

“And you and Gower _do_?”

“Think about it very carefully, Prongs,” Remus advised dryly. Sirius did, and - _plaice, whiting, trout_ , he recited sternly, because there were some things that didn’t bear thinking about.

James stopped and stared at Remus in horror.

“All right. I know it’s a bit…” Remus made a vague hand gesture that in no way expressed the ideas _shocking_ , unbelievable, and _intolerable_. “But…look at it from another angle.” Remus was at his most reasonable, his most dangerous. “If Godfrey’s with _me_ , he can’t possibly get back with Lily.”

“Yeah, but…” James stopped, struck. “You’re right.”

Sold – just like that. _Bastard_. Sirius neatly divided his outrage and scorn, and directed them at James and _Godfrey_.

*****

There was no reasoning with James after that. On the grounds of self-interest, he was prepared to overlook Remus’ frequent excursions to the library, his preoccupied air in History of Magic (where he glanced over at the Ravenclaw side far too often for Sirius’ liking), and his sudden obsession with finishing homework early – that led him to charm his quill to write three times faster, and caused him to destroy four quills and two scrolls of homework in one night.

And of course, where James refused to act, it was absurd to expect Peter to, even though he was clearly uncomfortable with the whole thing too.

“D’you think he was always…?” Peter asked. He shuffled his feet. For all Peter wasn’t the sharpest quill in the box, he raised an interesting point every so often. Had Remus _always_ wanted blokes instead of girls, Sirius wondered. Had they just not _noticed_?

“Don’t, Wormtail. I don’t want to think about it,” James said, screwing his face into an expression of disgust. “Anyway, Moony hardly knows what to do with a _girl_ , let alone a bloke.”

Peter nodded in relief. Sirius wished he could be so sure. Ellen Abbott had said Remus was a cold fish, yeah, and ironically, this had become a comfort to him. Still, Remus disappeared in the evenings, and when he returned, he was always in unobtrusively good spirits; the kind of good mood books alone had never put him in.

*****

The worst thing was that, the more he thought about it, the more it seemed like such a Remus thing to do. Sirius couldn’t imagine Peter carrying on a secret liaison with anyone, and as for James…it was impossible to imagine him doing anything silently. But Remus, with the same calm focus he usually devoted to getting books out of the restricted section, had just gone and gotten himself a – a _boyfriend_. And he didn’t seem to be in any hurry to get rid of him.

The more he thought about it, the more he decided that Peter had been right, that Remus had _always_ been…

He hadn’t even been keen to get together with girls, had proved himself immune to Ellen Abbott, who was really very nice-looking, and he’d always preferred discussing spells and practical jokes to the charms of the opposite sex, which had long preoccupied the other three.

Most of it they’d put down to the werewolf, and some of it to the pure oddity that was Remus, with his almost-adult ability to make them feel ashamed of themselves. But now, with Gower, a different story was emerging.

Oddly enough, it infuriated Sirius. It was another secret, and he believed Remus far too attached to those. They’d taken the news that he turned into a class XXXXX(16) danger every month remarkably well – why the hesitance with _this_ secret? He’d practically obtained James’ blessing, once he never mentioned _how_ he was keeping Gower away from Lily. This reticence, Sirius considered, was overly dramatic. He thought it was beneath Remus.

He tackled him about it too. Peter and James were still in the common room, and it looked as if Remus had settled in for the night. It was past six and he had made no move library-wards, so it startled Sirius when, in the middle of a deeply boring anecdote about something that happened in Arithmancy, Remus stopped in the middle of a sentence and looked at his watch. 

“Oh, bugger, I’m late,” he said, and hopped off the bed.

“Where are you off to?” Sirius asked, tetchily. It really was very rude of Remus to break off in the middle of a story, especially when he hadn’t even been yawning. It was a bit late to decide he had other places to be.

“To the library,” Remus said. “Studying.”

“Is that what you’re calling it these days?” Sirius said. He tried to keep from frowning. He felt less than successful.

“It’s what I’ve always called it,” Remus said dryly.

“With _him_.”

“Yeah.” Remus sounded tired.

“Why don’t you ever just say you’re going to meet him?” Sirius asked, taking out his wand and aiming it at the bottom right bedpost.

“Because Peter pats my shoulder and looks like I’m off to be burned at the stake, while James has this expression like he’s taken a bludger to the stomach.”

“What about me?”

“What about you?”

“What do I look like when you say you’re off to meet – him.”

“You look like…” Remus paused and frowned. “You look like _you_ and that’s enough.”

*****

It wasn’t like it had been with Lily, all sparkly glitter birds and holding hands in Hogsmeade. At first, Sirius was glad. He didn’t think he could stomach all the girls whispering and giggling and pointing at them, with derision instead of admiration. He also didn’t look forward to defending Remus against their enemies (they had rather a lot of these, in spite of being such likeable people). He gritted his teeth when he thought of the ammunition Remus was giving Snivellus – who had enough already – and he once walked into their room unannounced only to find James hiding a copy of _He Started It! How to Make Your Enemies Eat Their Words_ , so obviously it had been preying on his mind too.

They never used a single spell from that book…to defend Remus, anyway. Whatever happened in ‘the library,’ outwardly they chatted amicably (if more frequently) in the corridors, with never a hint of feelings other than Prefectly.

Sirius was relieved about this. At first. After a while, it became another thing that irritated him. Why _shouldn’t_ Remus have glitter birds, and Gower’s grandad’s old watch? It just showed Gower didn’t think as much of him as Lily. It was insulting, that’s what it was, and Sirius didn’t know why Remus put up with being second-best. It wasn’t as if Gower was all that and a mug of butterbeer. It wasn’t as if Remus needed to _settle_ for someone like him.

“I really don’t mind,” Remus said, looking slightly startled, when Sirius remarked off-handedly about the lack of glitter and gift-giving. “You really don’t need to keep bringing it up,” Remus said.

Sirius brought it up with James, who took him on a long rambling walk that ended at Hagrid’s hut. He started talking the second they left the castle, and although James tried to sidetrack him with strategies they might use against Hufflepuff in the upcoming Quidditch game, he refused to be swayed from his chosen topic. Unlike James, _he_ had no problem coming up with ten reasons Godfrey Gower was an absolute prat. James had no imagination – that was his trouble.

“Look,” said James, suddenly stopping. “I know it’s a bit…” he made a face.

“Horrible? Revolting? Awful?” Sirius supplied.

“Yeah. I suppose,” James said, scratching his chin.

“I don’t see why it’s some bloody Ravenclaw, is all,” Sirius said, vaguely surprised at the rancor in his voice. “I mean, not when he’s around with us, most of the time. It doesn’t,” he said firmly, “make sense.”

“I think that’s the only thing that makes it all bearable,” James said. “Would you rather it had been one of us?” His tone was incredulous, and he squinted at Sirius.

“I didn’t _say_ that,” Sirius said, kicking a stone. “I said it would make more _sense_.” Honestly, was it asking so much that James _listen_.

“I know it’s not…I mean, it’s a bit…weird,” James finally settled on a word. “But, you know, he doesn’t go on about it…and it’s not like he’s started trimming his robes with fur, like that fifth year Slytherin…I mean, he’s still Moony, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Sirius said, irritated. Really, James could be a bit thick sometimes. _Remus_ wasn’t the problem, bloody _Gower_ was.

“I mean, maybe we should try being happy for him, you know.”

“You have never sounded more like a Hufflepuff,” Sirius said. “Gosh, maybe we should all just join hands and – and build a happy city free from nastiness and horrible people, whistling all the while.”

James’ foot shot out, causing sparks of pain in Sirius’ ankle. “Watch it, you,” he said, mildly.

*****

After that, James was no bloody help. He even appeared to be taking his own advice. That evening, when Remus skulked off, he said, almost fondly, “Always the quiet ones, hm?” Then he paused. “Good thing that counts the rest of us out, eh?” And he poked Sirius in the side as if he’d made an actual joke.

He’d thought Peter might be of some use – being able to transform into a rat did have some advantages – but Peter, spoilsport, was vehemently opposed. “Mrs Norris!” he said.

“I’d avenge your death,” Sirius promised.

Peter scoffed. “Yeah, unless you got distracted by something else in the meantime.”

“I’m a man of many interests. Anyway, I’ll take care of Mrs Norris.”

He could tell from Peter’s expression that it was still a no-go. “What now?” he asked impatiently.

“What if I…see something?”

“So?” In Sirius’ opinion, that was the whole _idea_. To see whatever Remus was keeping private, more bloody secrets that Sirius was sick of.

Peter made a face.

“If you’re worried it might stunt your growth, it’s a bit late for that,” Sirius said, unkindly.

“What do you want to know for, anyway? It’s a bit…” Peter shuddered.

Sirius stopped in his tracks. He was doing it because…because…well, he didn’t need a reason, and anyway, Gower was a rotten, friend-usurping Ravenclaw, who should look within his own bookish house (or Slytherin. Wasn’t there some Slytherin with a fondness for leopardskin?) for a boyfriend.

*****

The simple truth of the matter was that he and James at least, were far more logical choices as potential boyfriends than Godfrey bloody Gower. It was baffling to Sirius then, that Remus had forsaken logic and reason and chosen Gower, and it was positively _frustrating_ that he seemed satisfied with his choice.

Unfortunately, no one else seemed to find it quite as exasperating as Sirius did, and James and Peter were no bloody help when it came to figuring out Remus’ motivation for acting in such an inexplicable and insulting way, leaving him with only one option in his quest for the truth.

“What d’you see in him anyway?” Sirius asked.

Remus blinked, perhaps because the conversation up to this point had revolved around Zonko’s joke wands and the possibility, nay _probability_ , of the Marauders creating something better.

“What?”

“What d’you see in him anyway?” Sirius repeated impatiently. Just because asking Remus was the only reasonable option didn’t mean it was necessarily a pleasant one.

“Well?” he prompted, gesturing with his hands.

Remus looked taken aback. 

“Before I die of old age would be nice,” Sirius said, shoving his hands in his pockets.

“He’s…um…he’s nice,” Remus said, shrugging his shoulders and still looking nonplussed.

Felled by a single word. Sirius Black was many things – handsome (miles better looking than _Gower_ , anyway), clever, good with his hands…but _nice_? Some things were beyond him.

He looked around for something to kick.


	4. Chapter 4

James had a sudden brainwave with regard to the radio transmission spell, which resulted in them trooping down to the library one evening to look up the history of the WWN. This involved a long search for a book Madam Pince assured them existed - _Live and On the Air: Transmission to Mars_. IT took them an hour to finally find it, hidden behind a big book on Summoning Charms.

Flushed with success, James had begun hunting for a secluded spot free from the suspicious eyes of Madam Pince, only to stop awkwardly at the sight of REmus and Gower, holed up at a table huddled between two high shelves of books. There were books on the table, one or two of them lying down. Gower and Remus were turned towards one another, deep in whispered conversation.

"D'you think we should join them?" Peter whispered.

"Maybe we should leave th" - 

"Why not?" Sirius said. "It would be rude not to say hello." He quickly grabbed a book off the shelves and made his way down to the table.

"Hello," he said, letting the book drop quietly onto the table. _Colossus: of Wizards and Giants_ he noted, and grimaced.

"Sirius." Remus blinked. "Hello." He sounded uncertain.

"Gower," Sirius nodded, hearing James and Peter shuffle up behind him. Gower smiled warily at them. 

"What are you two up to?" Sirius asked, trying his best to look innocently curious. Remus' reproachful look warned him that he was not succeeding.

"Just looking over a few things," Remus said, gesturing pointedly at the books piled on the table. Sirius shook his head slightly, and widened his eyes - communicating, he hoped, the message 'how sad when people lie to their friends.' Remus squinted at him, so he assumed the message was a trifle too long.

"Us too," he said instead. "Mind if we join you?"

Gower looked at Remus, then back at them. "Of course not," he said politely.

"If you're busy, we can find somewhere else," James said.

"We don't mind," Peter chimed in.

"No, it's fine - we really should be getting back to work anyway. We got a bit sidetracked by Flamel's Five Principles."

Gower looked completely sincere and the words, even when suspiciously repeated in Sirius' mind, sounded too bloody boring to be anything but the truth. They were in the library after all, and Madam Pince was nothing if not observant. Whispered debate over the Five Principles was probably the most heated thing they'd gotten up to all evening.

Still, Sirius slid into a chair opposite Remus, and James slipped in beside him. Peter wandered off in search of another chair (Madam Pince tended to object to chairs being Accio'd across the room).

" _On the Air: Transmission to Mars_?" Gower read. "That's a bit off the beaten track, isn't it?"

"Er," said James. "It's just...sort of a hobby." REmus smiled encouragingly at him and James mouthed, 'A new idea' at him.

Gower read the spine of Sirius' book too, but he frowned and didn't make any remarks about it. Instead, he picked up a book on Magical Healing and began reading. Peter hurried back, armed with a chair and a book on Muggle History. He shot a look at Sirius that clearly said, 'this is all your fault.' Sirius thought he should perhaps take lessons from Peter in non-verbal communication.

They read in silence for a while, James obviously engrossed in his book, and actually took out his quill and a blank piece of parchment to jot down some notes. Say what you would about Evans, she had certainly instilled a work ethic into James.

Peter's shift into boredom could be marked by the increasing frequency of sighs and the decreasing number of pages turned. He stared blankly at a page for minutes at a time.

Sirius flicked through his book, which wasn't half bad, he realised with surprise, skimming the interesting bits, and letting his attention wander whenever he hit a particularly dry paragraph.

Remus' book appeared to be interesting too, though, knowing Remus, that wasn't saying much. He smiled as REmus, a look of intense concentration on his face, turned a page and grimaced as he gave himself a paper-cut. He shook out his finger, then put it in his mouth to soothe the sting.

Sirius smiled and looked around, only to realise that Gower was staring at Remus with dark eyes, watching him suck on his finger as if he were a picture in a dirty magazine, instead of someone who'd cut his finger on a bit of paper. Sirius stared at Gower, indignant on Remus' behalf. It was, without question, the most disgusting thing he'd ever seen in his life.

That was, until three seconds later, when Remus looked up and caught Gower at it, and instead of hexing him or kicking him, instead he ducked his head down, slightly red, but pleased looking.

Sirius swallowed hard.

Oddly enough, the person he felt angriest with was _James_. James, who had confidently said, "Anyway, Moony hardly knows what to do with a girl, let alone a bloke." Moony didn't seem to be doing too badly from where Sirius was sitting, sucking on his fingers and driving filthy-minded Ravenclaws mad with lust.

He realised at that moment that he had been staring at Remus for quite some time, and Remus was not regarding him with an expression of puzzlement. He quickly looked down at his book, and then back up.

"Hey M-Remus," he said. "Listen to this - _'Though their bloodthirsty actions have caused giants to be reviled by most of Wizarding society, there have always been those who have campaigned for certain constitutional rights on their behalf. In 1964 respected Wizard and noted eccentric Albus Dumbledore, spoke before the Wizardgamot on this issue. "Certain races and creatures have always been held in fear and suspicion," he said. "And indeed, sometimes their actions have given us good reason to fear and revile them. But I cannot but feel that condemnation of an entire species, an entire people, an entire race, based on the actions of some, and not all of these people, is short-sighted and will lead to further problems in the future, when the force of restrictive laws and prejudiced treatment will push even moderates into desperate actions."_

He grinned at Remus. Dumbledore, he acknowledged, was all right. He was a good sort to have on Moony's side. Remus smiled back.

"I would have expected better from Professor Dumbledore," Gower broke in.

Sirius frowned. "What?"

Gower gestured to the book. "That 'let's all get along and live in peace' sort of thing - it's nice and all, but it just doesn't work when you apply it to Dark Creatures. I would have thought the Professor would know that."

"You don't think he has a point?" James asked, darting an uneasy glance at Remus, who was staring down at his hands. "I mean, _Dumbledore_..."

Peter nodded vigorously.

Gower frowned. "Read the History of Magic textbook," he said. "The Troll Wars, The Goblin Rebellions, The Giant Massacres, Werewolf Uprisings...Dark Creatures are just that. Dark."

Remus hunched down further in his seat and Sirius felt calmly, meanly furious.

"Goodness," Sirius said, in mock-concern. "Well, I certainly feel better informed now. I mean, when someone like _you_ , who has _so much experience_ , talks about something like this...I think you've converted me. Really."

Gower looked at him steadily. "I suppose I should expect that viewpoint, coming from you," he said, with unpleasant emphasis on the word 'you.'

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sirius asked. His hands were on the table and they clenched into fists. Peter drew a little closer to the table, and James unfolded his arms. Remus glanced from him to Gower. "Don't," he said, shaking his head. Sirius wasn't sure which of them he was talking to.

"It's just, well..." Gower smiled thinly, "You know what they say. Black by name, black by nature."

The thought in Sirius' mind was very clear. He was going to hit Gower. Sirius had expected him of being an arse, and Gower had fulfilled that suspicion beautifully. No-one could blame him for taking action. He flexed his fingers - and then he caught sight of Remus' pale face...and he couldn't do it. Like it or not, he owed Remus. Even if Remus had forgotten about the...Snivellus incident (which was doubtful), Sirius himself hadn't. Remus would never put it in those terms, of course, but he didn't need to. His generosity in forgiving that demanded like repayment.

The sound of the chair scraping back on the floor was very loud. Sirius stood, then leaned forward, bracing his hands on the table.

"If you ever say that again," he said.

"You'll prove how true it is?" Gower asked.

Sirius smiled, sharply. "Bet your fucking life I will."

He turned and strode through the library, so fast and so angrily he eyes only flashed him tiny details - Madam Pince's long hooky nose, a first year's back as she browsed the bookshelves, a quill about to fall off a table...

He made his way back to Gryffindor Tower and into their room, where he collapsed onto the bed, fingers still itchy with rage.

He only had time to take a few deep breaths before the door opened, and Remus stepped in. He walked over to the bed.

"Where's Prongs and Wormtail?" Sirius said, managing not to grind his teeth between words.

"I asked them for a minute," Remus said, and dropped onto the bed beside Sirius. "I'm so sorry," he said. His hands lay loosely in his lap.

"Why d'you put up with it? _How_ can you put up with it?" It burst out of Sirius angrily.

"I'm sorry," Remus said again. "I don't blame you - it was an absolutely rotten thing to s" - 

"Yeah, it was. How can you put up with it? How can you just...chat with him and act like it doesn't matter when you know how he really thinks about you?"

"What?" Remus said, frowning slightly.

"What d'you mean _what?_ 'Dark Creatures are just that. Dark,'" he mimicked. "'Forever and ever and there are no exceptions, ever, and _I_ should know, because I read the history textbook.'" He snorted and turned on his side.

" _That's_ what you're" - Remus laughed, and Sirius turned back to him, frowning. "That's what you're..." 

Remus shook his head. His smile was strangely tender. "Oh, Padfoot," he said.

"What?" he asked grumpily.

"It's not...it doesn't really matter," Remus said eventually.

"Of course it bloody matters," Sirius exploded, but he had to drop his eyes under Remus' steady gaze. 

"Really?" Remus asked. "I mean - before you know about _me_ , if I'd asked you - honestly - would you have been so understanding about Dark Creatures?"

"Yes," Sirius said, stubbornly.

Remus smiled again. "Most people think like that," he said, shrugging. "It's be a bit odd if he thought anything else, really."

"Yeah, but you shouldn't have to put up with it," Sirius argued.

"But I do," Remus said. "Ever day. I don't mean to sound like...but it's what people think, isn't it? You get used to it, really. Mostly."

"But you shouldn't _have_ to - not with friends," Sirius said. "Or girlfriends. Boyfriends." He said the word without making a face or stammering.

Remus looked at him for so long he felt uncomfortable again. "What are you suggesting, then?" he asked. "That I should tell him I'm a werewolf?"

" _No_ ," Sirius said quickly, sitting up. "I mean, that's too dang.." he trailed off.

"Which leaves me with 'putting up with it,'" Remus pointed out. "It's not" - he paused, "In a way, it's nothing personal."

"But it _is_ ," Sirius said. "And you should be" - he shook his head wildly, " - it shouldn't be someone who thinks you're some dangerous _creature_ that should be kept down or something." _Or who is still probably carrying a torch for Lily Evans,_ he added silently.

Remus sighed in exasperation. "Well, I don't exactly see people lining up at my bedroom door, regardless of how they feel about werewolves. We're not _all_ heartth" - 

Sirius launched himself at Remus and shook him. He hadn't meant to do it, but it was very satisfying. Maybe it would knock some sense into Remus, and with that hope in mind, he kept it up for a few shakes longer.

When he stopped, Remus blinked at him for a few moments, then cleared his throat.

"As I was saying," he said. Sirius groaned and threw himself back on the bed. Remus patted his knee absently. 

"It's..." he stopped. "Thank you. For worrying."

"I'm not _worrying_ ," Sirius protested, staring crossly at the ceiling. "I just think it's interesting you can't see what a gigantic twerp he is."

Remus blew out an exasperated breath, but when he said, " _Padfoot_ ," he didn't sound annoyed. Instead that affectionate tone was back, the one that made Sirius' stomach twist.

Cautiously, he propped himself up on his elbows. As soon as he made eye contact though, Remus looked at the bedclothes. Remus' hand, Sirius noticed, was still touching his knee.

He moved a little bit, to sit up properly, and the soft sounds of the bedclothes stirring seemed loud. Remus finally moved his hand.

Even the silence seemed thunderously quiet, too thick for Remus' quiet voice to pierce it. Sirius leaned closer, not really sure what was being said.

"..." Remus said, and looked up expectantly at him.

"Oh," Sirius said. "Sorry?"

"I said, don't. You don't have to, I mean. Anymore."

"Right," Sirius said absently. He wasn't entirely certain about what was being said. Remus was always saying things. And if you gave him enough time, he'd say them again. So Sirius wasn't really bothered about listening to every little word, not when Remus was staring at him like that, sort of shy and pleased looking, a look Sirius had seen before, but not directed at him, specifically. It was a nice look, Sirius thought, and stared back.

"..." Remus said.

Sirius made a noncommittal sound of agreement.

"...Sirius?"

"Mmm?" he asked, only Remus had stopped talking altogether now, and was just looking at him. Not that that was bad, he thought breathlessly, though the silence made his palms itch.

He licked his lips, getting ready to say something, but whatever it was got lost as Remus began to lean forward. 

Oh, he thought.

Remus' hand touched his face and his heart leapt, like a squeezed bar of soap, as he frantically tried to keep from blinking, or breathing, or anything that might startle Remus out of action.

Not that it ultimately made any difference, as Remus stopped, mid-lean, clear his throat, and moved back.

Remus stood and gestured at the door. "They're waiting. I should," he said, shuffling backwards. 

Sirius blinked.


	5. Chapter 5

In the brief few minutes he had before James and Peter came bursting in, Sirius nonetheless had time to sort some things out. His first, heartening thought was that Gower was no longer a problem. Remus had definitely been ticked with him – on Sirius’ behalf, if not his own, and though Sirius’ remembrance of things was a bit sketchy, he was almost certain Remus had said something about not needing to worry about Gower anymore. 

The signs were promising. The almost moment of madness where Remus had leaned, seemingly with intent, and Sirius had not stopped him, Sirius set aside to think about later. He and Remus would tackle it together, he thought optimistically.

He was half looking forward to it, in a nervous sort of way.

James' first words were reassuring. "I hate to say it, Prongs, but you were right."

Sirius inclined his head graciously.

"Look, I can see his head swelling already," James muttered to Peter, before turning back and saying, "All right, Gower's an arsehole - what now?"

Sirius smiled as he thought, with uncharacteristic sentiment, that James was quite decent, really.

James took a deep breath and pushed his glasses up. His face wore an expression of martyred pain. "D'you think we should, y'know, introduce Moony to...someone else?"

*****

Really, he'd expected it to be quite easy. Gower had shown himself up royally, and Remus remained in the common room all evening, staring at _On the Air: Transmission to Mars_. So far, so expected. Secondly, the morning after, Remus had refused to be drawn into conversation with Gower, neatly sidestepping him with an excuse about being late for Potions. Granted, Sirius would have preferred icy silence to excuses, but it was a start.

At lunchtime, Gower, a look of determination on his face, made his way over to the Gryffindor table. Lily Evans dropped her fork, and he picked it up for her. He then tapped Sirius on the shoulder.

"Listen," he said. "About what I said...I - didn't mean it, really. Don't know what came over me."

Sirius eyed him with disdain. "Right," he said, and really, it was clear from his tone that all was far from forgiven - there was no way Gower should have smiled, first at him - and then at REmus, who, while he didn't _return_ the smile, certainly looked more forgiving.

Still, that evening, Remus scuttled off to the library, and when he returned, twenty-two minutes and forty-three seconds later, he seemed preoccupied and dejected, which Sirius took to mean he'd finally broken up with the prat.

It would, he thought, have been all right - if Remus hadn't _also_ been avoiding him, dragging Peter everywhere like a cumbersome safety blanket, and feigning intense interest in his opinion on everything every time Sirius so much as opened his mouth.

For his part, James found out the name of the fifth year Slytherin - " - as a very last resort."

*****

The only thing to do, with Remus treating him with unwavering, distant politeness, and James distracted by Quidditch practice and Evans, was to think.

The first conclusion that he came to, was that Remus fancied him. It wasn't too difficult a deduction to make. Honestly, it tended to be his default assumption for everything girls (barring Evans) did in his presence. Stretching this belief to include blokes was only the work of a moment. Sirius prided himself on his agile mind.

The second, more than slightly embarrassing conclusion, was that _he_ (oh hell) wanted Remus. He was used to being _wanted_ \- that came easily to him. Wanting someone _back_ (which was different from liking them, or enjoying their attentions) was a new and unsettling experience. He had a vague suspicion that his dislike of Gower might have looked slightly ridiculous, slightly James-like.

What was more worrying, was Remus' choice of nothing-special Gower as a boyfriend. After all, he was boringly Prefectly, possibly still yearning for Evans - and his nose was unattractively long, in Sirius opinion. Yet Remus had ignored these deficiencies, even when others had kindly pointed them out to him. Sirius, with the best will in the world, could not believe Remus had stuck by Gower simply to make him jealous. _What_ , he was left wondering, did stupid, sodding Gower _have_?

Well, whatever it was, Sirius was determined to acquire it. Because he _wanted_ Remus, like James wanted Evans - but with one crucial difference. Sirius was going to _get_ Remus. Nothing against a life of sexual frustration or anything - it evidently suited James, from his reluctance to give it up, but if he was going to suffer the embarrassment of wanting Remus, he was determined to have something to show for it.

*****

Conclusions one and two were all very well, Sirius considered, but Remus was following a version of the romantic strategy favoured by Harriet Agnew and Melissa Morrissey-Nibbs, both of whom had made it obvious how much they fancied Sirius by pretending to ignore him - a seemingly unproductive plan that worked surprisingly well. Sirius hated being ignored. However, Remus showed no inclination to be steered into isolated corners and persuaded of Sirius' appeal.

"What?" Remus said absently. He then seemed to take in the situation. "You're supposed to be copying Alice's Potions homework," he said, looking around the Peter-and-James-less bedroom.

"I finished," Sirius said. "Listen, I wanted to sort something out."

"Oh," Remus sighed. For some reason his reaction reminded Sirius of History of Magic, when Professor Binns just went on and on about Wizards' Councils.

"Is it important?" Remus asked, "Because I really need to" - 

It was Remus' expression, he decided. Long-suffering, for some unaccountable reason.

"Of course it's bloody important," Sirius said. "You made a move on me. Before. Or you _started_ to," he finished accusingly.

"Oh. That," Remus said, picking up his wand and turning it over and over in his hands. He didn't sound any more interested.

"Yeah. I think it'd be a good idea to straighten things out now," Sirius said, uncomfortably aware that he sounded more like a snappish Professor McGonagall than the irresistible Sirius Black.

"Right," Remus said calmly. And set the curtains on fire.

*****

All right. It was disappointing that Remus did not want to discuss Sirius' wish to take Gower's place - a situation Sirius firmly believed would be an improvement in every way on the previous one. Still, he could wait. It hadn't taken Evans long to get over Gower, and she hadn't even had the distraction of an eminently fanciable Sirius Black.

Of course, Sirius thought, four days later (with mounting temper), it stood to reason that Remus, smoothness personified when it came to initiating and carrying on a secret relationship, would botch the break-up.

Instead of looking hurt and betrayed (which Sirius had been looking forward to, actually), Gower persisted in bumping into them and smiling too widely at Remus, who, to Sirius' dismay, always smiled politely back.

He even asked to borrow Remus' notes from History of Magic.

"Sorry to bother you," he said after class, pretending to be apologetic. "Only I'm noticing these big gaps in my notes." He brandished some parchment covered in cursive that Sirius found disgustingly loopy and elaborate.

"It's all right," Remus said. "I'll give mine to you later."

"Thanks," Gower said, with insincere delight, while Remus nodded at him with unseemly courtesy.

Say what you would about Evans, when she broke up with someone, there was no messing about.

Remus, by contrast, six days after forswearing bigoted and blinkered (and big nosed) Gower forever, was practically back to the start.

This would not do, Sirius decided.

*****

He was not the type to give up easily. The first step, he determined, was to get Remus alone. This was easier decided than done, with Remus twitchier than a fidgeting fern, but a plan finally presented itself.

"Come on," Sirius said, too bored to sound sincere. "It's not like I could help it."

"Hufflepuff have a really good team, you know," James said, burning holes in a blank piece of parchment.

"Well, if I didn't know it before, I know it now. Say it one more time and _you_ won't be playing either."

"If it was McGonagall, fair enough, you might've got away with it, but Sprout? That's just asking for it."

"I suppose you'll just have to take all the glory then, when Gryffindor wins," Sirius said, levitating the parchment away from James. It was starting to make his nose itch.

*****

Peter's first reaction was enthusiasm, which, if Sirius had been serious, would have caused him to reconsider the whole plan.

"I can't remember how to charm pictures though," he continued, frowning.

"Don't worry about that - Moony'll help you," Sirius said, darting an innocently expectant look at Remus.

Really, as they sat in the bedroom on the morning of the Quidditch match, charming banners with James' face on them, Remus _had_ to have guessed it, if only because Sirius wouldn't be caught dead hefting anything proclaiming James to be their only hope.

Peter worked hard, tongue poking out and eyebrows drawn, while Remus kept his head down and didn't look up, even when Peter snatched the banner away. "Done!" he said triumphantly, and then looked at his watch. "We should hurry - the game's starting in a few minutes."

"You go," Sirius said absently. "Moony can help me finish up here - we'll be there in a few minutes, right Moony?"

He stared meaningfully at Remus, the kind of stare that would not take burnt curtains for an answer.

"Right," Remus said, sounding perfectly normal. "We'll catch up to you," he added.

Peter obviously guessed there was a secret, some reason for pushing him out the door, because his mouth tightened, and he looked sullen. Peter hated being left out.

Tough, Sirius thought, and stared unblinkingly at him, until Peter grabbed the banner and slouched out the door without a word.

There was a silence.

"Well?" Remus said, crossing his arms and looking oddly defensive.

Sirius didn't waste time. "I thought you were going to break it off with Gower."

"That's what you wanted to...?" Remus said, but now he looked confused. "I did."

"As in - tell him to get lost," Sirius clarified, scowling down at his banner.

"He's not so bad," Remus said. "Why does it have to be...can't you be _nice_ afterwards?"

"No," Sirius said. "That just means you're doing it wrong."

"Well, maybe I don't want to do it right," Remus said, hunching his shoulders bad-temperedly.

Here, Sirius had planned to discuss conclusions one and two. Instead, Remus had decided to defend Godfrey 'wants to see me shot by Ministry Officials, but nobody's perfect' Gower. That, of course, changed things slightly.

"Then maybe you should decide what exactly you _do_ want," Sirius said, trying to speak clearly through the anger building up inside.

"What?" Remus said impatiently. "Look, I've already" - 

"Him," Sirius interrupted, "or me."

Remus stared at him. He closed his mouth and said, carefully, "What?"

Stupid, stupid, _stupid_ , Sirius thought, over the panicked thumping in his ears.

He shrugged. "You heard me."

"Right," Remus said, distantly, lips thin - and looked away.


	6. Chapter 6

Of course, the subsequent dash to the Quidditch stands (just in time to see James catch the snitch while dangling upside-down from his broom) gave Sirius a stitch in his side, perfectly in keeping with the spirit of the day.

All right, he admitted to himself that forcing Remus to pick between them was a bit _much_ …but it did have the benefit of sorting things out for once and for all. And fine, he was a bit ashamed of himself, but the fact that he was acting like a horrible and contemptible piece of slime wasn't the _point_ Remus already _knew_ how horrible he was. The point was, that even with greasy-haired _proof_ of how horrible Sirius could be, Remus was still his friend.

As ultimatums went, it was a very safe one. After all, it wasn't as if Remus could choose Gower. Remus would get over it.

Peter had a sulky expression on his face when they met up with him.

"Where are you?" he demanded. "You were ages."

"Took us a while to figure out what was wrong. It was simple enough in the end though."

"What?" Peter asked, not sounding particularly interested.

"James' mug," Sirius shook his head. "Unfixable, really. So we chucked it." He meant to give Remus a friendly elbow into the side at this, but without even looking, Remus stepped out of range. Peter looked extremely annoyed.

Sirius sighed and looked around for James, whose progress was halted every so often by Gryffindors offering congratulations. Sirius rolled his eyes as yet another student, Alan Agnew this time, thumped James on the back, and began to shake his head admiringly.

"It was only _Hufflepuff_ ," he said, loudly enough that James turned and bestowed a withering glance at him. Sirius smiled sweetly back at him.

"Well, yeah...but Prongs was brilliant," Peter said, suddenly more cheerful. "I mean, when he did that roll and dive..."

"The Rimini play," Sirius said absently, glancing at Remus, who had his arms folded, and was staring up at the empty stands.

"Cheer up," James said, clapping him on the shoulder, making Sirius jump. "Bet McGonagall will let you play next time. We're up against Ravenclaw next, and they have some small amount of skill." He grinned. "McGonagall won't want to risk losing the cup, and it's a bit unfair to place all the responsibility for winning on my shoulders. There's only one of me, after all."

"Yeah, and one's enough to put up with," Sirius smirked, and shoved him. James stumbled and straightened, ready to retaliate, but a flash of red hair later and he was striding confidently forward. "Stay there," he hissed at them out of the corner of his mouth.

"Hey, Evans!" he called.

Lily Evans turned around. "Potter," she said, crossing her arms in front of her.

"She'll hex him," Sirius said confidently. "For definite."

"She might just walk off, show how mature she is," REmus said. Sirius looked at him, but Remus did not make eye-contact.

(All right. So he was a bit pissed off. That was understandable).

"Nah. She'll hex him."

Lily sighed. "Congratulations," she said. "It was a good game."

"What about me?" James asked, trying a cheeky grin. She looked back at him, unmoved.

"You were all right," she said grudgingly.

"Only all right?" James said.

"Don't push it, Potter."

James abruptly changed tack. He stepped closer to her. Lily pointedly took a step back, but he didn't seem to notice.

"You're right," Remus said, addressing the ground in front of him. "She'll probably hex him."

(Only to be expected, really).

"I caught the snitch for you, you know," he said. "Don't you think that merits...I don't know, a drink in The Three Broomsticks, maybe?" His hand strayed to his hair, but shot down after only a moment's hesitation.

"You caught the snitch for me." Lily snorted. "Pull the other one, Potter."

"He'd like to," Sirius whispered. "That's his problem." Peter choked. Remus was silent.

(So Sirius had done a horrible thing...Remus would get over it. Soon).

"I did!" James said.

"Yeah, especially for me. And all your adoring fans. Ask one of _them_ to The Three Broomsticks." She turned to go.

"What is your _problem_ , Evans?" James shouted after her. She whirled around. " _My_ problem?" she said, disbelief in her voice.

"Yeah, your problem. What do you want, anyway? I was a lot better than ' all right' out there, and even _you_ should be able to admit that."

"That was quite possibly the wrong thing to say," Remus said quietly.

(Astonishing ability to bounce back, Moony had).

"D'you think we should help him?" Peter asked, stepping forward. Sirius caught him by the collar.

"It's just getting interesting."

"Fine. You played well. Of course, you couldn't have done half as well if Quirke and Fanshawe hadn't nearly killed themselves making sure the other team didn't get a chance with the Quaffle, and if Prewett and Brown hadn't belted the Bludgers out of your way. Made it nice and easy for you to swoop in and win the game."

"Fine. If that's what you want to hear, they were all right. Happy now?"

"Only _all right_?" Lily asked sweetly, turning away and trudging back to the castle.

James watched her leave.

"Nice to see she's back to normal," Sirius said. Remus finally granted him a flicker of eye-contact, only to look away again directly.

A thoroughly unpleasant feeling curled in his belly.

*****

The next day Gower stomped up to the Gryffindor table and slapped down a roll of parchment in front of Remus.

"There," he said. "Happy now?"

He didn't wait to be answered, but whirled off to the Ravenclaw table.

"Thrilled," Remus said, looking down at the roll of parchment, which now had porridge stains on it. He wiped at it with his sleeve.

Sirius took a supremely satisfying bite of toast. That, he thought, was how a break-up should go.

However, Remus' face, which he would have expected to reflect sadness, or regret, or pain, was instead conveying pure cold fury.

He didn't think it was aimed at Gower.

*****

Sirius missed unwavering, distant politeness. When Remus had first inflicted in on him, he'd hated it, but it outclassed blunt anger any day.

He even missed being avoided - especially when the alternative was Remus not bothering with civility and glaring at him, arms crossed, until he moved out of the way, feeling lumpish and ashamed of himself.

He could admit he'd done something wrong - but honestly, was it really all _that_ much of a surprise anymore? It was the Prefect in Remus, making an unsolicited appearance. But Remus was much more Marauder than Prefect...he was bound to return to normal soon. At least, that was what Sirius told himself, lying on his bed and staring at the ceiling. 

When he heard James and Peter's voices, he turned onto his side and groaned.

James plopped down on the bed regardless, and said, "Do you think that if I" - 

"No," Sirius said.

"But what if I" - 

" _No,_ " he repeated.

"Are you sure?" James asked.

"Give up," Sirius advised.

"Right," James said, shelving the idea for the moment. He frowned at Sirius. "What did you do to Remus?"

"He's well pissed at you," Peter said, sitting opposite James and picking up their latest joke wand. He flicked it aimlessly.

"Really?" Sirius said, opening his eyes wide. "Thanks for telling me. I hadn't noticed." He thumped his head off the pillow in disgust. 

"What did you do?" James asked. "And how about" - 

" _No_. And I told him he had to break it off with Gower. Or else."

Peter whistled disbelievingly. James shook his head for a bit and then said, "You can't do something like that, mate," sadness, presumably for Sirius' stupidity, in his voice. 

"Why not?" Sirius asked, crossing his arms.

"Because it's thick," James explained kindly. "Think about it - what would have happened if I'd asked _Lily_ to break up with him?"

"She would have hexed you from here to Hogsmeade. But that's _Evans_ ," Sirius said.

"Yeah, but - you still can't. You just - I mean, look at Evans" - 

"I would, but I'm afraid you'd hit me." Sirius rolled his eyes.

"There she was, hanging off him in Hogsmeade, daydreaming in History of Magic...and what did I do?"

Sirius opened his mouth to reply, but before he could, James continued. "I _let_ it. Because I knew Evans would get tired of him eventually. On her own."

"You started messing about with all those girls," Sirius reminded him.

"Well, yeah. But that was to make her jealous." James stopped and blinked at Sirius. He had an odd look on his face. 

"Well?" Sirius asked impatiently.

"Er." James shook his head as if to clear it. "Yes. Anyway, I let _her_ come to _me_."

"You let _her_ come to _you_ ," Sirius repeated.

"I didn't say the whole scheme had come to fruition yet," James said. "It's ongoing. Anyway, she smiled at me today."

"Bared her teeth," Sirius corrected.

"No, really, she did," Peter jumped in. "A real smile."

"What did you do...accidentally poke yourself in the eye?" Sirius asked.

James shrugged. "Someone pushed Nugent Deveraux and I helped him up." 

"Who?" 

"Slytherin. Fifth year," James said, pointing to the hem of his robes for some odd reason.

"Great," Sirius said, and sighed.

"Anyway, hadn't Moony _already_ split with Gower?" Peter broke in. He brandished the joke wand. "How does this work again?"

*****

"So then he asked Longbottom to ask Alice what Evans really thinks of him," Peter said.

Remus mad a sound that signaled neither interest nor disinterest.

"But _he_ said, 'Evans? She hates you - it's not like I need to ask Alice to work that one out.'"

Remus considered this for a moment. "What exactly is your point?"

"The _point_ ," James said, looking up from his Transfigurations homework, "is that Evans has shown a noticeable softening of her, until now, brutal and callous attitude towards me. The _point_ is that Evans has finally succumbed to my charms."

"She's been impervious to your spells and jinxes so far - I can't see how your charms tipped the balance," Remus said, sounding amused. 

Then he turned to Sirius. The sudden change in his demeanor made Sirius' stomach turn. "Quill," Remus said in a hard voice. 

Sirius meekly handed one over. Remus did not thank him.

"So - Peter got the boomslang skin, and what we need to do next is..."

*****

Yes, fine, he hadn't acted in the most honorable way. But one week later and Remus showed no signs of feelings other than Prefectly. Honestly, it was a bit much. Sirius had only _done_ it because he _liked_ Remus. It wasn't as if Gower was much of a loss. And it wasn't as if there were throngs of boys clamoring to take Gower's place.

He'd decided that he wanted Remus. The least Remus could do was reciprocate. After all, it wasn't as if he was...Sirius floundered for a reference and came up with 'Sirius Black.'

Remus needed to get over himself. Sometimes he could be like a stubbornly ethical budgie, refusing to move from his moral perch. Sirius rolled up his sleeves and prepared to do battle.

*****

Remus was sitting on the floor, propped against the small patch of wall between two shelves of books. Sirius slid down next to him.

"Enough!" he whispered. He would have preferred a more commanding tone, but Madam Pince was not very understanding about these things. At least they were down the back, well out of sight. It had taken ages to find Remus, actually.

Remus ignored him, and returned to his book.

"All right, I'm an arsehole - is that what you want to hear? Fine. I'm a complete and utter arsehole. But _you_ picked me, and it's about time you started making the best of the situation."

Remus closed his book and put it down on the ground. "Apology," he said tightly. " _An admission of guilt, a request for forgiveness - to express regret, to explain._ "

He picked up the book again.

"I'm sorry," Sirius said. "I'm really really sorry. It was a shitty thing to do, I know, and I shouldn't have - I _know_ , all right? And I _am_ sorry."

He concentrated fiercely on the titles on the shelves to his left. _Wandmaking Throughout the Ages, Wishing Wells of Britain: A Guide_ , _Tomasina Wilburton - A Witch's LIfe_."

"I just - I'd already _done_ it. I don't know why you wanted...it was really stupid, you know."

"Well if it was so stupid, maybe you shouldn't have done it," Sirius muttered. He was trying his best, he _was_ , but it was annoying to be called stupid. _The Big Book of Weather Spells, Well Known Witches of Western Britain 1800-1900_.

"You made me!" Remus said, raising his voice slightly, only to lower it again. "You _said_ \- me or him."

"I didn't know you were going to act like this about it," Sirius said in a small voice.

"Oh yes, because usually I so enjoy being threatened into altering my behavior."

"I'm _sorry_ ," Sirius said. He stared down at his hands, twisted together in his lap. Maybe disdainful rage hadn't been so bad, he thought. It was certainly better than being made to confront his actions in detail he'd been consciously avoiding. He rubbed his forehead and winced.

"I just wanted you to get over him," he told the ground.

"I was," Remus said. He did not sound any happier. "I'd finished with him. I told you that - I told you I was going to finish it when he said - and not to be worried. What more did you want?"

"Well yeah," Sirius said. "But you were still talking to him. And you were dodging me. And you wouldn't talk about what happened _after_ you told me not to worry."

"When you almost snogged me," he added, in case Remus had forgotten.

There was a pause.

"I thought you were going to go on about it," Remus said.

Sirius stared at him. "Go on about it?" he said. 

"You always go on about...everything, really," Remus said.

"I was going to say it was all right. I was going to tell you I liked you too," Sirius said, speaking very slowly.

He waited.

"Well, how was I to know you'd break the habit of a lifetime?" Remus said eventually.

"You know _now_ ," Sirius pointed out.

"Yeah." Remus blinked at him.

"And," Sirius continued, feeling slightly more hopeful, "You _did_ pick me, in the end. So you must like me best."

"Not lately," Remus said, unsmiling.

Something in Sirius' chest deflated. "Sorry," he mumbled.

Remus nudged his toe. "All right," he said quietly.

Sirius took a relieved breath. 

"I thought you were going to go on about it," Remus said again. He had a rueful look on his face that tipped Sirius off.

"So you _did_ like me. Fancy me," he corrected. He tapped his feet against the ground in triumph. 

"I thought, I'm not usually that..." Remus trailed off, "I'm trying to decide whether to say _lucky_ , or _unlucky_."

"Lucky," Sirius said firmly.

"Hmm," Remus said. "Are you sure?"

Sirius poked him. "Yes," he lied. "I'm very well-read."

Remus snorted, but his hand came up to touch the side of Sirius' face.

Sirius grinned, and leaned in.


End file.
